The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Invests $987,000 in Stewart Information Services Corporation $STC

Key Points

• The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company purchased 14,953 Stewart Information Services shares worth approximately $987,000 in the second quarter. Institutional investors collectively own 96.9% of STC.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed, with recent downgrades alongside new or reiterated buy ratings; the stock has a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $81.50.
• Stewart reported quarterly revenue of $895.8 million, up 24.5% year over year, but earnings of $1.39 per share missed estimates. The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.55, implying a 3.3% annual yield.

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company purchased a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 14,953 shares of the insurance provider's stock, valued at approximately $987,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in STC. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in Stewart Information Services during the 4th quarter worth about $43,000. Horizon Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services in the 4th quarter worth approximately $65,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $66,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Stewart Information Services by 50.9% during the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 981 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $69,000 after purchasing an additional 331 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Persistent Asset Partners Ltd bought a new position in shares of Stewart Information Services during the second quarter valued at approximately $84,000. 96.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently commented on STC shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered Stewart Information Services from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $77.00 to $71.00 in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Wall Street Zen lowered Stewart Information Services from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, July 25th. Stephens reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $88.00 price target on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Zacks Research cut shares of Stewart Information Services from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Benchmark began coverage on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a "buy" rating and a $87.00 price objective for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Stewart Information Services currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $81.50.

Stewart Information Services Trading Down 3.2%

Stewart Information Services stock opened at $67.41 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a current ratio of 1.98. The stock has a market cap of $2.06 billion, a PE ratio of 14.78 and a beta of 0.97. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $68.44 and a two-hundred day moving average of $66.83. Stewart Information Services Corporation has a one year low of $57.10 and a one year high of $78.61.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.39 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.63 by ($0.24). Stewart Information Services had a return on equity of 10.02% and a net margin of 4.12%.The business had revenue of $895.80 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $838.07 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.34 EPS. Stewart Information Services's revenue was up 24.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Stewart Information Services Corporation will post 5.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Stewart Information Services Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a $0.55 dividend. This is a boost from Stewart Information Services's previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. Stewart Information Services's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.05%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Stewart Information Services news, insider Brian Glaze sold 1,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.16, for a total transaction of $103,740.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 11,784 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $814,981.44. The trade was a 11.29% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 2.94% of the company's stock.

About Stewart Information Services

Stewart Information Services Corporation NYSE: STC is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients.

In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.

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